1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of appliances and, more particularly, to a laundry appliance which can be selectively operated in an automatic mode wherein a laundering cycle is initiated with minimum input from a user, while subsequent cycle modifications can still be made.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In order to operate a laundry appliance, i.e., either a clothes washer or dryer, it is necessary for a user to initially select various cycle parameters. For instance, in order to establish a desired washing operation in a clothes washing machine, typically required selections include the water level, water temperature, type of fabric and cycle duration. In most clothes washers, buttons and/or rotatable dials are employed for these programming purposes.
In many instances, a particular user of a washing machine will establish common operating parameters between successive cycles for the same type of fabrics. For example, it would not be uncommon for a user to almost consistently select large water level, hot wash/warm rinse and heavy soil wash time settings when washing white cotton clothing items. However, these settings will almost invariably be altered before a washing operation of the same type of garments is performed. In other words, the washing of whites will typically be followed by the washing of colors or dark clothing which will require the settings to be altered. Therefore, it is not uncommon for the user to need to customize nearly every available parameter setting for each washing operation performed, even though the settings used for the same type of fabrics tend to be consistent.
Certainly, the need to change the various operating parameters for each washing operation represents some level of inefficiency. To address this problem, it has been proposed to automate an overall washing operation. Examples of known automatic washing machine arrangements are represented by the disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,072,473, 5,297,307, 5,293,760 and 5,694,793, each of which provides for a fully automatic operating mode wherein a washing operation can be performed with minimum required input. For instance, in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,473, a cycle can be started for washing an object placed in a drum of a washing machine upon selecting one of xe2x80x9cheavily soiledxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clightly soiledxe2x80x9d modes, along with any desired pre-washing operations. The ""307 patent is directed to a washing machine including both manual and automatic washing features. Upon the selection of the automatic washing feature, the appliance analyzes a series of stored washing factors accumulated from the operation of the machine in a manual mode and, through a self-learning sequence, determines final washing factors to be implemented during the automatic operation. In accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,760, a washing operation can be initiated by a consumer upon the selection of only a start button. Finally, in the ""793 patented arrangement, an automatic washing cycle will be commenced following receipt of inputs concerning the type of washing cycle to be performed. In any event, the purpose of these types of arrangements is to minimize the required number of inputs by the user to perform a washing operation.
To perform these automatic functions, sensors are commonly employed to specifically detect certain parameters which would otherwise need to be inputted by the user. For example, the washer disclosed in the ""473 patent utilizes at least a cloth amount sensor to detect a quantity of an object being washed. In a somewhat corresponding manner, the ""760 patented arrangement detects, among other factors, a washing quantity, cloth characteristics and entanglement characteristics of the wash load. In any event, although these prior art arrangements advantageously enable a washing operation to be performed with a minimum number of inputs, employing complicated sensor structure to compensate for the lack of user inputs is seen to represent a costly alternative. In addition, these arrangements are seen to be disadvantageous in that, after a particular washing cycle has been initiated, the user is reframed from altering the overall cycle parameters.
Based on at least these reasons, there exists a need in the art for a cost effective and efficient control system for a laundry appliance which will enable an entire cycle to be performed with a minimum amount of input on the part of the user. More particularly, there exists a need in the art for a laundry appliance which can be programmed, either during manufacture or by a user, to perform common cycles with minimum input by the user, while still enabling the cycles to be altered after initiation thereof.
The present invention is directed to establishing an automatic start feature in a laundry appliance whereby a laundering operation can be initiated with minimum input by the user. More specifically, the laundry appliance can store typical operating cycles for different types of fabrics, either based on factory settings or consumer established preferences, in order to enable the appliance to start immediately following a selection of a single cycle parameter. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a consumer need merely select a particular fabric type and the appliance will start based on temperature and other setting parameters taken from memory. However, even with the automatic start feature activated, the user will still be able to adjust pre-established cycle parameters by changing default values after the cycle has started.
In accordance with the invention, the xe2x80x9cauto startxe2x80x9d feature can be selectively turned either OFF or ON. Therefore, the laundry appliance can be selectively operated in either manual or automatic modes. If the OFF mode is selected, the user will be required to input all necessary information to initiate a desired cycle. In the ON mode, factory settings, as modified based on consumer preferences either before or after initiating a particular washing operation, will be employed. In its most preferred form, the invention is incorporated in a clothes washing machine and, more particularly, a washing machine incorporating an LCD touch screen display.